How a hike gave me my greatest business idea and is inspiring a movement for the future of work.
By Bart Foster, founder of BusinessOutside®
Last January I went for a hike on the mountain behind my house in Boulder.
It’s an activity I do often. It rejuvenates and reenergizes me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I think better while I’m outside; I’m more creative, happier, and in a better zone for productivity. And it hit me: Everyone needs to operate in this zone. And the idea for BusinessOutside® was born.
I wanted to motivate people to get outside – literally and figuratively – outside in the great outdoors, and outside outdated corporate norms. Stuffy corporate cultures and unhealthy behaviors have no place in the workforce. BusinessOutside® wants to help businesses build more authentic, productive, and healthier people-first cultures. The individual will greatly benefit, and so will the business.
So why now?
The future of work will be hybrid and remote. And while that provides individuals with the flexibility they crave, we still need the connection and culture of in-person interactions. Teams are stuck “inside”–inside their video calls, inside their corporate hierarchy, and inside their self-imposed limitations on what’s possible. Employees will demand genuine connections, where they can bring their authentic selves, and leave empowered and reenergized. BusinessOutside® is an antidote to the “inside” culture that is permeating corporations around the world.
So, for the last year, I have been testing out BusinessOutside®principles with executives and teams across North America, including Fortune 500 executives. I knew it would be successful, but the response has blown me away. We are creating a movement. I can feel it. Below are a few reactions from business leaders:
“BusinessOutside provides a path to getting outside of your comfort zone, freeing the brain and soul to make more meaningful connections with others.” - Carla Pineyro Sublett, Chief Marketing Officer at IBM
“I have seen first-hand how Bart uses BusinessOutside to lead teams to think differently; outside of their comfort zone, outside of normal business practices, and outside in nature.” - Andy Pawson, President & GM at Alcon
“The approach Bart Foster has built is something all business leaders can benefit from by redefining how our relationships and our work and personal lives can be better integrated.” - Atlanta Ventures CEO David Cummings
I’m officially launching this new venture today (Click here to view our Press Release). I want BusinessOutside® to become the standard for leadership and business facilitation for the future of work.
BusinessOutside® gets people back to the fundamentals of humanity by creating organizational cultures that nurture and empower their people, helping them discover their path forward.
Through a science-inspired philosophy, BusinessOutside® helps people feel psychologically restored by tapping into their true, authentic selves in a natural setting. People leave healthier, more creative, more inspired, and renewed by genuine connections.
While BusinessOutside® principles and methods are applicable to all at any time, they are critical in our post-pandemic world. Remote and hybrid employees will demand genuine connections, where they can bring their authentic selves, and leave empowered. The return of the corporate retreat is coming, but not the boondoggles of the past. We want to partner with businesses to reimagine corporate cultures and reenergize the workforce.
I want to thank my team of advisors, employees, and friends who believed in me and the idea of BusinessOutside®. To my long-time partners at Sanitas Advisors who support and help scale BusinessOutside® principles. Thanks to Riley Ferrero, my marketing operations guru, who makes the digital and social magic happen. My advisory team David Barry, Marc Hodulich, and Amy Sorrells, who provide invaluable advice, support, and encouragement. And to my friends and family without which none of this would be possible.
If you are interested in BusinessOutside®, please reach out to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you’re ready, I’d love to partner with you to enable BusinessOutside® for your company or team. There’s no better way to start a new year. Let’s make it happen. Let’s do BusinessOutside®.